Today's office phones are more than just a means of
communicating with the outside world. Features such as cordless
mobility and programmable memory banks have turned phones into
productivity tools that allow businesspeople to keep in touch with
their customers without being tied to a desk or searching
frantically through piles of paper for that all-important phone
number.

Choosing the right multiline phone for your office is simply a
matter of balancing your needs against your budget. If your
business requires that you roam freely through the office, consider
a cordless multiline phone. While many early-model cordless phones
suffered from static and limited range, the 900 MHz radio frequency
used by newer models minimizes these problems.

An automatic channel search feature ensures other cordless
phones in your area don't interfere with yours--if one channel
is being used, the phone simply hops over to a clear one. Some
phones equipped with digital technology contain a microchip that
encrypts your conversation to prevent eavesdropping.

If you're still concerned about security (or how long the
battery charge will last), you should stick to traditional corded
models. Plenty of these boast features that turn your telephone
into a receptionist, sans the long lunch hours. Caller ID will tell
you who is calling before you pick up the receiver; it works even
if you're already on the phone with someone else. (Before
buying a phone with this feature, make sure your local telephone
company can handle Caller ID.)

Most newer speakerphones--which are great
for conference calls--feature full-duplex speakers that
won't cut you off if others interrupt. Some of the more
expensive models even include a digital (tapeless) answering
machine to handle after-hours calls.

Here's a look at a variety of office phones to suit
small-business needs.

Vodavi Communication Systems infinite DVXPlusI

Designed specifically with small-business needs in mind, these
digital, corded office phones offer cost-control features such as
toll restriction, an intercom and a message waiting light for
improved user productivity, and after-hours attendant controls with
a Night Mode. There is also plenty of room for growth: These phones
can handle up to six lines and are Computer Telephone Integration
(CTI) ready for hassle-free linking to your computer system when
used with Vodavi's Discovery CT.

Nortel Venture

The Venture is a corded, three-line, analog phone that makes
installation and setup easy with multilingual LCD screen prompts
and a simple design. Equipped with a message-waiting light for use
with voice-mail systems, the Venture gives you 30
telephone-management options, including dialing restrictions
on toll calls and 900 numbers. A Venture model that incorporates a
digital answering device is expected to be released in June.

Sharp CL-981ID

This single-line, cordless digital phone uses the 900 MHz radio
frequency band, which eliminates signal blocking from walls and
other obstacles, and Adaptive Delta Pulse Code Modulation to clear
the line of static. Digital voice scrambling maintains transmission
privacy, and a long battery life gives the handset seven hours of
talk time and seven days of standby when away from the base
unit.

Casio PhoneMate CP-760

The CP-760 is a two-line cordless phone produced by PhoneMate,
Casio's small-business telephone division. While it does
use the 46/49 MHz band, this older technology is augmented by
Optimum Channel Memory, which scans through 25 channels to find the
clearest, and a patented UltraClear noise reduction circuit. This
phone is a good choice for those in densely populated urban areas
where interference from other phones is a problem.

Panasonic KX-TCC912

Phone: (800) 212-PANA

Price: $199.95

Features: Caller ID and call-waiting display with
30-number name and number memory, speakerphone

Warranty: one year, parts and labor

The KX-TCC912 is a single-line, cordless, 900 MHz unit with a
unique design that incorporates the Caller ID display into the back
of the handset instead of on the base. Battery standby life is 14
days; a spare battery charger is built into the base unit.

The auto security feature has more than 1 million digital
security codes to keep snoops in the dark, and Panasonic's
Sound Charger technology helps filter out conventional background
noise. The KX-TCC942 model has all these features plus a built-in
digital answering machine for $279.95.

Lucent Technologies 932

Phone: (800) 783-9248

Price: $100

Features: LCD display, speakerphone, 32-number memory

Warranty: one year, parts and labor

For an office on a tight budget, this two-line phone fits the
bill. Equipped with a Distinctive Ring feature that tells you which
line a call is coming in on, the 932 can be wall-mounted or placed
on a desk and is even hearing-aid compatible.